A Sweeter Sommersby Ending
by PurpleIvy
Summary: Laurel can't bare to lose him soon after finally finding him. Not one of my usual, but I hope you like it.


I just watched this movie the other day and I hated the fact that they let him hang, so of course I came here to write the end to please myself. If you haven't seen this movie you really should watch it, it is very good.

I own nothing of Sommersby.

"If you know some way for Jack Sommersby to walk out of here, I'll do it," said the man masquerading as Jack Sommersby, her husband, now her true husband, the man who held her heart in his. The man who was crushing her heart with his refusal to admit his true identity.

"I don't want you to die," she murmured quietly, tears starting down her cheeks. "Please, please don't leave me."

He knealt before her wrapping his arms around her as she sobbed into his shirt,"Laurel, I love you more than anything in this world and I will not allow any harm to come to our family just to please myself."

She pulled back to look at him an idea forming in her head. She wondered if she could make it happen, if she could save him. She rose and turned to leave the room.

"Laurel," Jack cried, panic evident in his voice."Please don't leave me yet. I don't have much longer."

Laurel rushed back to him placing her fingers on his lips to quiet his pleas,"I am trying to save you." She kissed him, feeling his fingers grasp hers, she let go and fled the room.

She ran out to the crowd that had formed to watch the man that they had grown to love and admire die, "We cannot let this to happen," she called to the crowd. "This man doesn't deserve to hang."

Several from the gathering muttered their agreement, "Please your honor," Laurel called to the judge who had presided over the hearing to determine his identity. "Isn't there anything you can do?"

The judge took in the group pleading their friend's fate, this man that brought them together, gave his family land of their own to till when no one else would. How could he allow this man to hang when in his heart he knew that he deserved better. He knew that treading this line could cause him serious trouble, but he couldn't live with himself knowing he hadn't stepped in to save him.

"Gentlemen," Judge Barry Conrad Issacs booming voice sounded over the din of the townspeople protesting the hanging. "I believe you have the wrong man."

Laurel's breath left her lungs in a rush. She turned to see them leading him out to the gallows, shaking her head she was gasping. They had to let him go, she would give up everything to have him safe.

"Men, did you hear me?" the judge's deep baritone again could be heard over the yelling. "That man is not Jack Sommersby."

His head shot up hearing this new development, he couldn't let this happen, what would happen to Laurel and the kids if he didn't hang? The guards on either side of him faltered, they weren't sure what they were expected to do. The judge was heading their way and the fear they carried him was overcoming their good sense.

His heart was pounding as he sealed all of their fates, "Give me the key." He grabbed the keyring from the guard. "This man is not who he says he is."

Nodding his head at the newly freed 'Jack', "You sir will be held in this jail to face the charge of perjury in my court."

"Take this man away," the judge passed the shackles to the sheriff who had came to answer his call.

'Now, wait a minute Judge," called the Pinkerton officer who had came to see justice done to the criminal known as Jack Sommersby. "You can't just let this man go free, he killed a man, he is guilty."

The judge winced hearing the protest he knew was going to follow his interference. He turned to face the man,"Sir, I am the judge in this town, and I will not have someone question my authority here. This man is not the murdering Jack Sommersby."

"If he in't him, then who is he and where is Jack Sommersby?"

Laurel finally found her voice,"Jack is dead, he is buried on a hill in Montgomery."

All three men turned to face her, "How do you know this ma'am?"

She held her breath, she didn't have an answer to this and knew she had started something she couldn't handle on her own. Closing her eyes she could see her world starting to fall apart, suddenly his voice filled the air.

"I buried him there," his shoulders slumped in defeat. "I saw Jack Sommersby die. I buried him on that hill in Montogomery. The man he killed had stabbed him in the fight. It took him a couple days to die, so I tended to him and buried him there. After I came here and pretended to be him, we looked so much alike. I didn't know all this was going to happen."

Horace looked down, ashamed of himself, hating to be Horace again.

"Sheriff, I told you take that man back to the jail," Judge Issacs ordered.

The sheriff acknowledged the judge's order and took Horace away.

The Pinkertons looked at each other and nodded in agreement, "Judge we can take him away with us if you'd like."

"Goodbye gentlemen," refusing their offer. They headed to their mounts and made ready to take their leave.

Taking a deep breath the judge turned to the crowd that had been present the entire time, watching the proceeding. He met several of the townspeople's eyes, "This man has done some wrong, but has done by far more right. Can we find it within ourselves to forgive his errors?"

The gathered crowd looked around to each other trying to see the forgiveness in the other's eyes.

Tobias Coldiron stepped forward, "Judge, there is nothing to forgive."

"Aye," came the cry from several others.

Tears sprang to Laurel's eyes, she could kiss each one of the men as they stepped forward to pledge their vote in his favor.

"Let that man free to go home with his wife," Edgar Thomas ordered, which caused a cheer to come from the crowd.

The judge stepped to Laurel, "Mrs. Sommersby, go collect your husband."

Her breath came out in a gasp as tears streamed down her face, she stood on tiptoe to place a kiss on the judge's cheek. She couldn't believe it had all worked out, she would get to grow old with the man she had come to love so much.

Running back to the jail Laurel couldn't wait to tell him he was free to come home with her. She found him sitting with his face buried in his hands, "Jack," she said pulling his hands away, seeing the grief he was experiencing she took his face and pressed her lips to his.

"Jack, you're free, you can come home."

He looked at her not sure if he was hearing her correctly, "Are you sure?"

She smile widely, "Yes I am sure, let's go see our children Mr. Sommersby."

"Thank you God," he pulled her into his embrace and held as tightly as he could, he planned to never let her go.


End file.
